Mariners Minor League Roundup: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not

Tacoma Rainiers: 11-10, 1st place in Pacific Coast League Northern Division

Mike Zunino – Hot

The Mariners former everyday backstop is posting MVP numbers right now in the PCL. Mike Z is slashing .400/.434/.786 with 7 home runs and 22 RBI through the first 19 games this season. Zunino has made it look easy at the plate, striking out just 14 times and working 5 walks across 70 at bats. The performance of Chris Iannetta and Steve Clevenger is allowing the M’s to be patient with Zunino, but he will force his way back to Seattle if he continues to mash.

Stefen Romero – Hot

Stefen Romero is another familiar name to M’s fans, and much like Zunino, Romero is tearing up the PCL right now. The 27-year-old is hitting .392 with 4 home runs and 17 RBI across 19 games. Romero has posted a .430 on base percentage and slugged .676 through 74 at bats. Surprisingly, Romero also leads the Rainiers with 3 triples in 2016. He had a remarkable spring in Arizona, and the Oregon State alum should find his way to Seattle at some point this season.

James Paxton – Hot

Pax-Man got off to a rough start this season in Tacoma, but the lanky left-hander has been a difference maker the past couple weeks. Paxton is 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA through 4 starts in 2016, but he has allowed just 1 unearned run in his last 11.1 innings pitched. The Ladner, BC native has fanned 16 and issued 9 free passes in 17.2 innings. The Mariners have received solid outings from all of their starting pitchers recently, but look for Paxton to get another shot in Seattle shortly.

Chris Taylor – Hot

Yet another name most Mariners’ fans recognize is Chris Taylor. Once thought of as the shortstop of the future in Seattle, Taylor is calling Tacoma home for the second consecutive season. The University of Virginia alum is hitting .321 with 1 home run and 4 RBI across 20 games. On the surface, those numbers are impressive but don’t “wow” people. However, Taylor has posted a .398 on base percentage and slugged .513 with the Rainiers. He has also tallied 8 doubles and 2 triples in 78 at bats.

Steve Johnson – Hot

Steve Johnson may not be a household name in Seattle, but he is quickly establishing himself as the Rainiers’ best reliever. The 28-year-old right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA through 6 appearances. Johnson has struck out 18 and walked 1 across 13.1 innings pitched. He doesn’t have overwhelming stuff, but he is getting the job done right now in the PCL.

Next: Jackson Generals

Jackson Generals: 13-7, 1st place in Southern League North Division

D.J. Peterson – Not

Unfortunately, the former first round pick has yet to find his stroke in Jackson. D.J. Peterson is slashing .203/.250/.311 with 1 home run and 10 RBI across 19 games. He has struck out 16 times and worked 4 free passes in 74 at bats. Peterson’s star is free-falling, but hopefully he can turn it around.

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Edwin Diaz – Hot

The Mariners’ top pitching prospect has lived up to the hype this season in Jackson, going 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in his first four outings. Diaz has posted a ridiculous 32:3 strikeout to walk ratio in 2016, and has limited the opposition to just 0.86 walks/hits per inning. There is little doubt that Diaz will be pitching in Tacoma within the next couple months.

Tyler O’Neill – Hot

The slugging outfielder is off to a nice start in Jackson with the Generals. O’Neill is hitting .297 with 4 home runs and 12 RBI through 19 games. The Langley, BC product leads the team with 22 strikeouts, but he has posted a .369 on base percentage and slugged .514 in 74 at bats. O’Neill is a player to watch for M’s fans, as he is likely to take up a corner outfield spot in Seattle in the not too distant future.

Dylan Unsworth – Hot

This under-the-radar prospect is quickly making a name for himself in the Southern League. The 23-year-old righty is dominating the competition, going 1-0 with a 1.21 ERA in four starts. Unsworth has struck out 14 and walked 5 through 22.1 innings of work. The South African native will earn a spot in Tacoma if he can keep it going.

Benji Gonazlez – Not

Gonzalez had an impressive spring with the Mariners in Peoria, but his success in March has not carried over to April. The 26-year-old middle infielder has slashed .265/.351/.338 with 0 home runs and 5 RBI across 19 games. Gonzalez has struck out 16 times and walked 5 times. These numbers are not terrible by any means, but Benji has too much experience to be struggling this much in Class-AA.

Next: Bakersfield Blaze

Bakersfield Blaze: 9-12, 3rd place in California League North Division

Andrew Moore – Hot

There are few pitchers in the Mariners’ organization that are pitching better than Andrew Moore in 2016. The Oregon State alum is off to a blistering start, going 1-1 with a 1.52 ERA in 5 outings. Moore has fanned 23 and walked 7 across 29.2 innings pitched. He has limited the opposition to just 0.98 walks/hits per inning. Moore is well on his way to earning a spot on the California League All-Star Team, and he will get a chance with Jackson before the end of the season.

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Austin Wilson – Not

This former second round pick has very disappointing in 2016. Wilson is hitting a palty.195 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI though 20 games. He leads the Blaze with a whopping 36 K’s. Wilson is an imposing figure, but he will never play at Safeco Field if he continues to toil at the plate.

Tyler Pike – Hot

The 22-year-old southpaw has been nasty this season in Bakersfield, posting a 1.90 ERA through his first four outings in 2016. Pike has registered a 22:8 strikeout to walk ratio across 23.2 innings pitched. He has also held the opposition to 1.01 walks/hits per inning. It’s clear that Pike has recaptured the form that allowed him to be considered one of the M’s top prospects a few years ago. It’s likely Pike will finish the season in Jackson.

Tyler Marlette – Not

Marlette has done a nice job handling the Blaze’s pitchers in 2016, but he has struggled mightily with the stick. The young catcher is hitting .173 with 1 home run and 1 RBI through 13 games. He has posted a .259 on base percentage while slugging .288. The former top prospect is unlikely to ever reach the big leagues if he can’t put it together in the hitter friendly California League.

Drew Jackson – Hot

The Mariners’ top middle infield prospect is off to a fine start in Bakersfield. Jackson was the Northwest League MVP last season, and he is slashing .295/.320/.389 with 11 RBI and 2 stolen bases across 21 games in 2016. The Stanford alum has 7 doubles and 1 triple through 95 at bats. Some questioned whether last year’s stellar debut was a fluke, but Jackson is proving to be more than just a one-year wonder with the Blaze.

Next: Clinton LumberKings

Clinton LumberKings: 13-8, 1st place in Midwest League Western Division

Art Warren – Hot

This 23-year-old righty is proving to be the LumberKings’ top starter this season. Warren is currently 3-0 with a 0.77 ERA through four starts with Clinton. He has registered a 19:6 strikeout to walk ratio in 23.1 innings, and he has limited the opposition to just 0.99 walks/hits per inning. Warren will find himself in Bakersfield before long if he continues to dominate the Midwest League.

Braden Bishop – Hot

The University of Washington alum has been red hot the past few weeks. Bishop is slashing .286/.351/.353 with 1 home run and 7 RBI through 17 games. He has struck out 12 times, walked 6 times and swiped 3 bases. There is still a long ways to go, but Bishop is doing a nice job right now with the LumberKings.

Nick Wells – Not

Wells is considered to be one of the top young southpaws in the M’s organization, but he is struggling this year with the LumberKings. He is 1-3 with a 7.11 ERA through four starts. Wells has struck out 18 and walked 7 across 19 innings of work. Those numbers are not awful, but he is allowing 1.63 walks/hits per inning. Wells is still very young, and he should continue to improve as the season progresses.

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Dalton Kelly – Hot

The Mariners selected Dalton Kelly in the 38th round of last year’s draft, and it’s safe to say he is surpassing expectations in Clinton. The 21-year-old first baseman is hitting .372 with 1 home run and 7 RBI through 20 games. Kelly has doubled 4 times, and has tallied 1 triple in 78 at bats. It could just be a lucky month, but the M’s may have found unearthed in a gem in Kelly.